Split clearance mechanism



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SPLIT CLEARANCE MECHANISM Filed March 14, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

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May 23, 1961 Filed March 14, 1958 C. A. LINDBERG SPLIT CLEARANCE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. CHA/PL 55 A. L/NDBERG United States Patent 2,985,369 SPLIT'CLEARANCE MECHANISM Charles Arvid Lindberg, Lafayette, Calif., assignor to grmifll-corona Marchant Inc., a corporation of New Filed Mar. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 721,521

3 Claims. (Cl. 235-444) The invention relates to improvements in split clearance control mechanisms for calculating machine registers.

Calculating machines are known which have provision for split clearance in one or both sides of a register. Thestructure for controlling split clearance usually comprises a conditioning knob having a clear and a non-clear position and which may be placed in one or the other position as the machine operator chooses.

When extensions are accumulated on a machine having this structure the knob is set to the non-clear or accumulate position. Wheneverclearance of the register is required the knob must be reset to the clear position by a distinct act of the operator. The operator will necessarily again 'set the knob to nonclear or accumulate if another series of extensions is to be accumulated.

It will be clear that extensions will not be accumulated with this structure if the operator fails to reset the knob from the clear to the accumulate position.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved clearance control mechanism for a numeral wheel register.

A further object is to provide a numeral wheel register clearance control button which is settable from an accumulate position momentarily to a clear position from which it is automatically returned to said accumulate wheel register by a button which is settable to either a clear position or an accumulate position, and is settable to a' momentary-clear position from which it is urged to'return to said accumulate position.

; According to the invention, an improved split clearance mechanism for a register includes a control button at the end of the register. set to a clear position or an accumulate position,

and further can be temporarily depressed from the non-' The control button is slidably- I I clearance operation selectively occurs in the two sections of the register.

mechanism and shows the condition of the mechanism v with the control button set to the accumulate" posi-' tion; and t Figure 6 is a right side view of the clearance control mechanism and shows the condition of the mechanism with the control button temporarily depressed from the non-clear to the momentary-clear position.

General description tering structure which accomplishes clearance in response to the reciprocation of a drive member.

Clearance of the accumulator register of machines of this general class is accomplished by depressing a clear key such'as key 37 (Fig. 1). Some machines provide that one section of the register is always cleared while the other section is selectively cleared depending on the setting of a clearance control button. Other machines provide a selectively set split clearance control button for each of the two sections, as in the example given hereinafter.

An accumulator register 20 (Fig. l) is shown in the carriage 30 of the machine. This register is split and the two separate sections thereof are selectively controlled to be cleared or not, depending on the setting of respective control buttons at the ends of the register, A right control button is provided which controls the clearance of the right register section and a left control button 110 is provided which controls the clearance of the left register section.

' Each of the clearance control buttons can be selectively set to a clear ositiou or an accumulate sition, andcan be depressed from the accumulate position to a momentary-clearposition from which it is continually urged to resume the accumulate position. With each control button set as desired by the operator, the clear key 37 of the machine keyboard is depressed and the Register clearance mechanism .A one cycle clutch-60 ('Fig. 2) is provided which is engaged in response to depression of clear key 37 and "provides power to reciprocate a drive shaft 77 (Figs.

by others it will be described in terms of an express embodiment, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a right side view of the mechanism for clearing the accumulator register;

Figure 3 is a'right side view of the clearance control mechanism andshows the condition of the mechanism with the control button set to clear position;

:.'-both register sections is effected only if both shafts Figure 3A is a top view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

mechanism and shows the condition of the mechanism Figure 4'is a right side view of the clearance control 2 2 and 3). 'The drive shaft supports the forward end of the'carriage. The drive shaft 77 is selectively coupled are coupled to'the drive shaft 77.

The clear key 37 (Fig. 2), is supported for up and down movement by a pin and slot arrangement 38. A key shank 39 is pivotally connected by a pin 40 to a bellcrank 41; The bellcrank 41 is pivoted on a pin 42 fixed to the framework of the machine. A pin 43 on a pin 47 fixed in the framework when the clear key is depressed, and cams the clear link 45 upwardly with respect to the bellcrank pin 43. The self-releasing connection is thereby broken until the depressed key is released. The clear link 45 is connected to a bellcrank 48 which is pivoted to a' framework pin 49. A shoulder stud 50 carried by the upper end of the bellcrank 48 rides in a bifurcated end of a lever 51. Depression of the clear key 37 moves the bellcrank 48 clockwise and rocks the lever 51 counterclockwise about a pivot pin 52 fixed to the machine framework.

The one cycle clear clutch 60 is of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,291,135, and is powered by a motor driven shaft 53. The lever 51 carries a clutch dog 54 which moves counterclockwise against the urging of spring 51a and causes clutch engagement when the lever 51 is rocked counterclockwise.

Counterclockwise movement of the lever 51 also causes a power switch to the motor to be closed. An arm 55 of the lever 51 contacts an car 56 of a bellcrank 57 and pivots the bellcrank clockwise about a fixed pivot 58 against the urging of a spring 59. A shoulder stud 61 of the bellcrank 57 engages a bifurcated end of a lever 62 and moves the lever counterclockwise about a fixed pivot 63. The lever 62 carries a finger 65 which moves and permits the power switch 66 of the motor to close. Springs 59 and 51a restore levers 51 and 62 and bellcranks 48 and 57 to the positions shown when a single cycle of operation of the clutch is completed.

Upon engagement, the clear clutch 60 is driven counterclockwise as seen in Figure 2. A cam 70 is fixed to the driven side of the clutch and is rotated once each time the clutch is engaged. A follower lever 71 is urged by a spring 72 into engagement with the cam 70. The follower is pivoted about a fixed shaft 73 and is pivotally connected by a pin 74 to a link 75. Link 75 is pivotally connected to a lever 76 which is keyed to the drive shaft 77. The drive shaft is reciprocated by the lever 76 in first the counterclockwise and then the clockwise direction each time the clear clutch 60 is engaged.

Clearance control mechanism The clearance control mechanism for the accumulator register is shown (Fig. 3) adjusted to a setting for causing a clearance operation. The right control button 120 is illustrated in the rearward or clear position. A member 124 is freely pivoted on the drive shaft 77 The member 124 carries a pin 125 which engages a bifurcated end 126 of the button 120 and carries a similar pin 128 which resides in a camming slot 130 of the button.

Member 124 is continually urged to rock in a counterclockwise direction about drive shaft 77 by a spring 132 which is connected between an extension 133 of a member 124 and a pin 134 fixed in the framework.

The force exerted by spring 132 tends to move member 124 and the control button 120 counterclockwise about drive shaft 77; however a stud 136 fixed to the machine framework engages a high portion of a cam surface 137 on the button and prevents movement of the button and member 124 from the position shown.

A shelf 140 of member 124 underlies a nose 141 on a live tip 142. The latter is pivoted on a pin 145 carried by a double arm roller lever 146 (Figs. 3 and 3a). The latter is freely pivoted about the drive shaft 77. A torsion spring 147 is coiled about pin 145 and by abutting an car 148 of member 146 and an ear 150 of the live tip 142, urges the live tip in the counterclockwise direction, to the extent permitted by contact of the nose 141 with'the shelf 140.

A lever 152 is keyed to the drive shaft 77 and is reciprocated with the drive shaft. The rightmost end of the lever 152 underlies the ear 150 of the live tip when the live tip stands in the position shown (Figs. 3 and 3a).

Counterclockwise movement of le'ver'152 (Fig. 3) thus carries the live tip 142 and the lever 146 in a similar counterclockwise direction. A roller 153 (Fig. 3a) is mounted on pin 145 between the two arms of the lever 146 and underlies a clearance lever 155 which is fixed to the register clearance shaft 160. Upward movement of the lever 152 and the roller lever '146 permits the roller 153 to move the clearance lever 155 in the clockwise direction.

The clearance shaft 160 appearing in the drawings Figs. 3-6, is one of two shafts which are in axial alignment with each other and is associated with the right section of the accumulator register 20. The other shaft 160 is not shown but is identical thereto, and is associated with the left hand section of the accumulator register 20.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that when shaft 77 is rocked counterclockwise, the levers 152 and 146 are rocked counterclockwise, and lever 155 and the shaft 160 are rocked in the clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 4. There has therefore been disclosed one form of a linkage for connecting the drive shaft to the clearance shaft.

The rocking of the shaft 160 returns all the numeral wheels 200 (Fig. 6) of the register to zero registration, as disclosed in the previously mentioned Patent No. 2,291,135. A spring (not shown) on the clearance shaft 160 constantly urges the clearance lever 155 in a counterclockwise direction to follow the roller 153 on the roller lever 146 when the lever 152 rocks clockwise to the initial position shown in Fig. 3. This completes a cycle of operation of the clearance mechanism during which the right portion of the register is cleared. If the button for the left portion of the register stands at clear position at such time, then the left portion of the register will similarly be cleared.

Accumulate control button setting When the control button is moved forward from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5, the cam surface 137 on the button permits spring 132 to rock the button and member 124 counterclockwise. When the key is set in this position the mechanism is adjusted to the accumulate condition. It will be noted that the head of the control button protrudes from the surface of the carriage cover 121 in this accumulate position and that the member 124 is rocked counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 3. The shelf of the member 124 is raised and therefore rocks the overlying nose 141 of the live tip 142 in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin so that the ear stands clear of the lever 152. During a clearance operation, the lever 152 reciprocates with the shaft 77 without imparting movement to the ear 150 and the lever 155, and therefore right section of the register is not cleared.

It will be apparent that the left and right control buttons may be independently adjusted to cause clearance or prevent clearance of their respective register portions.

Temporarily superseding the accumulate control button setting The control button 120 may be temporarily moved to a clear position from the accumulate position to permit the selected section of the register to be cleared; upon release, the control button automatically returns to the accumulate position. Therefore, the machine operator is not required to return the clearance mechanism to the accumulate position prior to accumulating another series of extensions.

The control button 120 is shown in Fig. 5 standing in the accumulate position, from which position it may be depressed to the momentary-clear position shown in Fig. 6. At such time, the button acts through the pin 128 and slot 130 to rock member 124 clockwise to the same position in which it stood when the button 120 was in the clear position of Fig. 3. It is apparent that with member 124 standing in the clockwise position shown in Fig. 6, ear 150 again overlies lever 152, thereby re-enabling the clearance drive connection between shafts 77 and 160 so that reciprocation of drive shaft 77 causes reciprocation of clearance shaft '160 and clears the respective portion of the register. In depressing the control button 120 to the momentary-clear position (Fig. 6) the operator must overpower spring 132. Therefore, upon release of the button the spring 132 immediately restores member 124 and the button to the accumulate position.

The configuration of camming slot 130 is such that, in cooperation with the pin 128 and the spring .132, it acts as a detent which holds button 120 in either slidably adjusted position thereof; furthermore, there is no tendency for the button to seek the clear position of Fig. 3 when the key is depressed to the momentary-clear position of Fig. 6.

The invention claimed is:

1. A numeral wheel register, clearance mechanism for said register comprising: a drive shaft, a clearance shaft, a selectively settable mechanism for connecting and disconnecting said shafts, a control means settable to a clear position, an accumulate position and a momentary clear position, means operable in response to setting said control means to said clear position for adjusting said selectively settable mechanism to connect said shafts, means operable in response to setting said control means to said accumulate position for disconnecting said connection, means operable in response to setting said control means from the accumulate position to a momentary-clear position for adjusting said selectively settable mechanism to connect said shafts, and a yieldable means operable to return said control means from said momentary-clear position to said accumulate position.

2. A numeral wheel register, clearance mechanism for said register comprising: a clear key, a clear clutch operated in response to depression of said clear key, a drive shaft, mechanism operated in response to clutch operation to reciprocate said drive shaft, a clearance shaft, normally enabled linkage connecting said shafts and operable upon the reciprocation of said drive shaft to effect a clearance operation, a control means selectively settable to a clear position, a momentary-clear position, and an accumulate position, means operable upon the setting of said control means to said accumulate position to disable said linkage, and means operable to continually urge said control means from said momentary-clear position to said accumulate position.

3. Split clearance controls for a plural order numeral wheel register comprising: a drive shaft rocked in response to depression of a clearance key, a clearance shaft in said register having independent first and second sections for clearing corresponding sections of said register, a split clearance control button for each section settable to a clear position, a momentary-clear position and an accumulate position, means effective to enable a driving connection between said drive shaft and a respective section of said clearance shaft when the corresponding control button is set to said clear or said momentary-clear position, means effective to disable said driving connection to the clearance shaft section when the corresponding control button is set to said accumulate position, and means for continually urging the control button from said momentary-clear position to said accumulate position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,617,594 Gang Nov. 11, 1952 2,656,110 Niemann Oct. 20, 1953 2,666,582 Machado et al Jan. 19, 1954 

